System for the remote acquisition of the electric energy consumptions and for the remote control of the distributed targets of users, also of domestic type

ABSTRACT

A system for the remote acquisition of data and for the remote control of electricity meters comprises a central server AMM in bi-directional communication with a plurality of concentrators. To each concentrator, a set of electricity meters is connected, such that bidirectional communication between each meter and its associated concentrator is possible. The intelligence of the system is distributed between the central server, the concentrators and the electricity meters. To this end, each meter comprises at least a first processor, a first data memory and a first program memory for bi-directional communication with the associated concentrator. The first data memory serves to at least temporarily store and/or transmit the data which have already undergone a first processing by the first processor. Each of the concentrators comprises a second processor, a second program memory and a second data memory as well as means for a bi-directional communication with a central server. The second data memory serves to temporarily store and/or transmit the data processed by the second processor.

The invention applies in particular to the field of electric energydistribution to a plurality of users spread over the territory; but,more generally, it can also be applied to other services, as for examplethe distribution of water and gas, or for district heating.

The invention satisfies the requirement—which has arisen since a fewyears on a worldwide basis, especially in the technically more developedcountries—to carry out the remote reading of the electric energyconsumptions and, if desired, to apply different rates when invoicingthe users, also of domestic type. A problem of this type has alreadybeen described, for example, in the Italian Patent No. 1.232.195, filedon Oct. 26, 1988 by the same Applicant, or in the document U.S. Pat. No.4,803,632.

This requirement has arisen, and has increasingly developed, not onlydue to economical reasons, but also due to the need to establish furthertransparency and efficiency in the contractual relationships with thecustomers, in a market which is progressively getting more and moreliberalized.

In this background, supported by the technological evolutions in thefield of componentry technology, a certain number of technicalsolutions, systems or methodologies have been proposed, which intend tosolve the problems connected with this situation.

The approach which associates these different studies can be summed upin a network which makes use of varied forms of communication to putinto contact the peripheral points of the system (electricity meters inthe targets of the users) with a supervision unit designed to conductthe procedures deemed helpful, time after time, to reach the intendedobjects.

Said contact is obtained through a direct communication between thesupervision unit (generally a server with a high processing power) andthe peripheral electricity meters, as described for example inWO-98/10299, or by interposing in this pyramid at least an intermediatehierarchic level, as proposed in WO-98/10394. Examples of theseproposals can also be found in other patents, for exampleEP-A2-0.723.358 or WO-99/46564.

Nevertheless, the greatest majority of these projects has very oftenremained at the stage of purely unrealistic attempts or laboratoryachievements, while the few proposals which have evolved up to reachingthe level of an industrial type achievement have reached no appreciableresults in terms of diffusion and use. The reasons for which suchproposals have found no application on a vast scale lie in the fact thatthe industrial products obtained are not apt to guarantee the requiredperformances when applied to situations involving a very high number oftargets of users, as it generally happens in the case of electric energyconsumptions.

The main object of the present invention is therefore to propose asystem allowing, on one hand, the remote acquisition of data from thetargets of users and, on the other hand, also the remote control of suchtargets, so as to be able to satisfy the present requirements of allthose companies which—like the companies distributing electric energy,water, gas and the like—operate in the presence of a high number oftargets of users spread over the territory. To give an indication as towhat is meant by “a high number of targets of users” it can be recalledthat the company ENEL (National Company for Electric Energy) deals atpresent with about thirty million targets of users.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a system apt toguarantee both a regular and continuous working, and a capacity ofsurvival also in the case of blackouts of any type.

According to the present invention, said objects are reached with asystem making use—in a manner known per se—of a single operating unitconnected to the targets of users through a plurality of intermediatestations, said system having the characteristics pointed out in thecharacterizing part of claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention willanyhow result more evident from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment thereof, given by mere way of non-limiting exampleand partially illustrated on the accompanying drawing, the only figureof which shows a diagram of the structure of the system according to theinvention. Said diagram substantially represents the set-up of theItalian territory at the filing date of the present patent application:it is meant to supervise and control about twenty-seven millionelectricity meters distributed over the whole territory. It is anyhowunderstood that this diagram merely represents an example and that itshould in no way be considered as limiting the present invention.

Thus, according to a first aspect of the present invention, such a vastset-up as that illustrated on the drawing, is obtained,

-   on the one hand, by distributing the electricity meters CE according    to area units A1 . . . An and connecting the meters of each unit to    a respective common concentrator C-BT1 . . . C-BTn. Each of said    units A1 . . . An comprises a limited number of electricity meters    CE; by the term “limited” is meant a relatively small number of    meters CE, preferably between 50 and 300, determined by the vastness    of the territory or area served thereby, or by other factors, also    commercial, connected with the territory taken into consideration;-   on the other hand, by distributing a plurality of said concentrators    C-BT1 . . . C-BTn over the whole territory being served, and by then    connecting such concentrators to a single central server AMM. By the    term “plurality” is here meant a number higher—by at least one, but    also by two orders of magnitude—than the number of electricity    meters CE of a unit, for example a number higher than 100,000    concentrators, in the case being illustrated 330.000 concentrators.

According to a fundamental characteristic of the present invention, oncea network of this type has been created, one provides not to concentratethe processing capacity, namely the intelligence of the system, merelyin the central server AMM—as substantially done in prior art—but todistribute it between the three aforementioned components, namely thecentral server AMM, the concentrators C-BT1 . . . C-BTn, and theelectricity meters CE. The principle adopted for this distribution iswhat allows to find the way for the communication lines to no longerhave to transmit a considerable amount of data to be processed, but onlya reduced amount of data, which has already been at least partiallyprocessed.

Substantially, to allow a system involving such high numbers andfunctional performances as those illustrated to work efficiently, withno delays and without any jams, the present invention proposes to adoptthe principle of distributing the processing power

-   as far as it is reasonable from the economical point of view—as much    as possible onto the peripheral units CE and on the concentrators    C-BT1 . . . C-BTn, to such an extent as to make such units as    autonomous as possible (even acting in “stand-alone” conditions in    case of interruption on the communication lines, or giving up part    of the functional performances, if necessary). By acting in this    way, it has been achieved to weigh as less as possible on the    communication systems, by actually transferring merely the    “processed data”, rather than the entire amount of elementary data,    and thereby obtaining some important results, such as:-   a simplification of the processings required for the central server;-   a reduced communication load;-   the availability of considerable amounts of useful band for the    purpose of supporting any eventual additional services.

The principle that has lead to the achievement of the present inventionmay find its origin in the fact of having reproduced a virtual (buttotally faithful) image of the electricity meter CE inside theconcentrator C-BT.

Virtually, it is as if in the concentrator there existed an “alias” ofthe electricity meter, which is continuously updated by the concentratorin a predetermined manner, by withdrawing data from the actualelectricity meter (such data being processed autonomously or followingcontrols being received). This image electricity meter is thus, inactual fact, constantly available on the concentrator for thetransactions and the exchange of data, or for receiving controls and/orprograms from the server.

This set-up allows furthermore to use in “stand-alone” conditions boththe single electricity meter CE and the area units A1 . . . An formed bythe single concentrator C-BT and by the electricity meters CE of thearea unit controlled thereby; thus, without the supervision of theserver in real time but, for example, through a periodic reading of thedata from the concentrator by means of a portable terminal.

To obtain this result, a further structural feature of the system thusformed lies in the fact that each of the meters CE incorporates, as wellas means to measure the power consumptions, substantially known per se,also

-   means to transduce the measured values into measuring data meant to    be processed,-   at least a first processor to process said measuring data,-   at least a first data memory and a first programme memory, and-   first means for the bi-directional transmission towards the    associated concentrator,-   the output of said first processor being connected to said first    data memory and/or to said first bi-directional transmission means,    so as to at least temporarily store and/or respectively transmit the    data, which has already undergone a first processing.

Likewise, each concentrator incorporates

-   at least a second programme memory,-   at least a second microprocessor for further processing said data    processed by the meters,-   at least a second data memory to store the data issued by said    meters and/or by said second microprocessor,-   and second means for the bi-directional transmission towards the    central server,    the output of said second processor being connected to said second    data memory and/or to said second bi-directional transmission means,    so as to at least temporarily store and/or respectively transmit    said further processed data.

The connection, for the transmission of data, between the meters CE andthe concentrators C-BT is preferably obtained through wave transmissionsystems, using the same power supply conductors that connect the metersCE to the low voltage power supply substations, e.g. the secondarysubstations, where the concentrators C-BT are positioned. Whereas, theconnection between the concentrators C-BT1 . . . C-BTn and the centralserver AMM is obtained, by preference, through a telephone network,whether it is a specific or a general-purpose network. A very suitabletelephone network for this purpose would be the GSM or any other publicmobile telephone network or any other existing wireless public telephonenetwork, e.g., a satellite based wireless telephone network. If such anetwork is employed, it is advantageous to establish dial up connectionsbetween the concentrator C-BT and the central server AMM on demand oraccording to a schedule which can be predefined or dependent on anoperating condition of the concentrator C-BT or the central server AMM.

If a predefined schedule is adopted, the AMM or the C-BT will try toestablish a connection between the AMM and the C-BT at predeterminedtimes during a day, week or month, at which times it can be assumed thata certain amount of data or commands which require to be transmitted,has been collected and buffered in the concentrator and/or in the AMM,respectively. If the schedule is dependent on an operating condition ofthe AIMM and/or the C-BT, a dial up connection will be established assoon as a certain amount of data and/or commands which requiretransmission, have been collected or if certain alarm conditions havebeen detected which require to be reported without delay. In any case,after the data and/or commands have been transmitted, the connection isterminated.

With a structure of the system thus conceived, the respectivemeasuring—which also forms an important characteristic of the presentinvention—ends up by being strictly tied to the functions which each ofthe three components of the system should perform.

In particular, each electricity meter of the system according to theinvention is dimensioned so that said first processor incorporatedtherein is apt to perform at least the functions of: (1) acquisition ofthe electric energy consumptions, (5) distribution of the powerconsumptions into different scales of charges, (12) estimate of thetampering attempts and control of an antifraud device, (25) transfer andmaintenance of the stored data at least during the voltage drop.

Likewise, each concentrator of the system according to the invention isdimensioned so that said second processor incorporated therein is apt toperform, as well as the double function of master of the PLC (power linecarrier) network, for what concerns the communications on the powersupply line between the actual concentrator and the electricity metersand, respectively, of node of the TLC network, for what concerns thecommunications on the telephone line between the concentrator and thecentral server, at least the following additional functions: (11)execution of an energy balance for what concerns the single cabin ofelectric energy supply into which the concentrator is positioned, (14)constant monitoring of the working conditions of each electricity meterconnected thereto and issue of an alarm signal in case theself-diagnostics of the meter should indicate a malfunction.

Finally, the server or central unit of the system according to theinvention is dimensioned so that its processor is apt to guarantee atleast the following functions: (8) automatic control of the operationsof disconnection, reconnection, suspension, delayed payments andcontract variations, (10) selective cut-off of the power supply due torequirements of the electric system, and (26) downloading of theoperating programs.

A more complete list—to be however considered as a non-limitingexample—of the functions which the system according to the presentinvention is apt to perform, can be summed up in the following points,wherein an initial brief definition is followed by a more detailedexplanation of the function connected therewith:

1. Measurement and acquisition of the electric energy consumptions. Theknown type electromechanical electricity meters, adopted in the presentpower consumption system, are apt to measure only one type of electricenergy consumption, active or reactive; if both measurements arerequired, it is hence necessary to install two distinct electricitymeters. The electronic electricity meter according to the presentinvention is instead apt to simultaneously measure both the activeenergy consumptions and the reactive energy consumptions.

2. Accuracy rating. According to standards, the electricity metermeasures in class 1 for the active energy and in class 2 for thereactive energy.

3. Acquisition and registration of the consumptions profile. For eachuser it is possible to detect the charging curve, with a programmableintegration period, particularly in the range from 1 minute to 1 hour.Thanks to the processing capacity of the electricity meter it ispossible to reckon the elapse of consecutive time intervals and, foreach of them, to memorize the power consumption inside the same.

4. Measurement and recording of the average and peak power. Theelectromechanical electricity meters normally used in the powerconsumption system are apt to measure only one type of power, active orreactive; if both measurements are required, it is hence necessary toinstall two electricity meters, as already mentioned for the electricenergy consumptions. The electronic electricity meter according to thepresent invention is instead apt to simultaneously measure both theactive power and the reactive power.

5. Distribution of the electric energy consumptions into differentscales of charges. Thanks to its processing capacity, the electricitymeter is apt to establish a table of different time scales in the spaceof a day, thereby making it possible to set out for each of them arespective cost value for the electric energy used up. The electricitymeter is thus apt to integrate the consumptions with reference to thetable of costs and to memorize, in the invoicing period, the totalconsumption of each time scale. In addition to this, said table of costscan be programmed not only on the basis of time profiles but also on thebasis of power thresholds.

6. Control of several invoicing periods. It is possible to control atleast two invoicing periods (present and previous), also at variableintervals.

7. Control of two electric energy supply contracts. In the power rangeup to 35 kw, it is possible to control two electric energy supplycontracts, namely an existing contract and the one to be applied infuture. The electricity meter can be programmed to automatically switchover the contract—from the present one to the future one—upon reachingof a given date.

8. Control of the operations of disconnection and reconnection. Theseoperations can be carried out automatically in relation to situations ofdiscontinuance, suspension for delayed payments, contract variations.Thanks to its processing capacity, the electricity meter carries outthese operations on the basis of remote controls (from the centralserver or from the respective concentrator) through the PLC network. Itis hence not necessary for an operator to physically go on the sitewhere the electricity meter is installed.

9. Possibility to operate in conditions of prepayment. The electricitymeter can be programmed so as to compare the amount of electric energyused up with a preset limit (eventually apt to be modified by anexternal control) corresponding to a payment carried out in advance; assoon as said limit has been exceeded, the electric energy supply isautomatically disconnected and suspended.

10. Selective cut-off for requirements of the electric system. Thecut-off or suspension of the power supply can be necessary, generally ona local level, in case of blackout risks or of temporary overloads. Thisfunction is not implemented in a broadcast mode, but it is insteadspecifically addressed to each single electricity meter. From the centre(central server or concentrator) it is possible to send to theelectricity meters, via PLC, a control for example to modify the highestpower available in the actual meter, with a temporary effect, that iswith no need to alter the power supply contract; this allows to obtain alightening of the overall power required from the cabin.

11. Execution of an energy balance. At the level of a single cabin, orof a single concentrator, it is possible to do the sum of themeasurements of the power consumption drawn from the single electricitymeters depending from said cabin. This sum—periodically compared to thevalue of the total electric current withdrawn, or with the mean electriccurrent value—supplies a useful indication to detect any non-standardelectric current withdrawals and, therefore, also any unauthorizedwithdrawals.

12. Antifraud/tampering function. At the level of each electricitymeter, a device is provided to perform this specific function, which isthus apt to eliminate the requirement to use seals and to periodicallycheck the integrity of such seals. The change of power, available bycontract, does not require—as said—to open the electricity meter inorder to adjust the measuring equipment (shunt); it has thus beenpossible to realize the electricity meter as a sealed single blockstructure containing all the functions of measurement, control of thecontracts, control of the opening/closing circuit of the power line. Forthe purpose of checking any possible attempts to open the sealedstructure in the electricity meter, an electromechanical device has thusbeen incorporated which produces an alarm signal on the network of thesystem and said alarm signal can be removed only by adopting a procedureavailable to the operators.

13. Measuring and recording quality parameters of the service. Themicroprocessor incorporated in each electricity meter is apt to verifyand memorize interruptions of electric energy supply and voltagevariations (deviation of the voltage from the nominal value foreseen inthe electric energy supply contract). On the basis of this data, it ispossible to determine the quality parameters of the service at the levelof each delivery point of the electric energy being supplied.

14. Constant monitoring of the working conditions. The microprocessorincorporated in each electricity meter is apt to periodically verify(self-diagnostics) the conditions of the various hardware components ofsaid meter and the congruency of the data stored in the memory. In casethere should be any malfunctions, it is possible both to signal the samewith appropriate service words (which are then read by the centralsystem), and to start immediate recovery procedures.

15. Possibility of bi-directional transmission of information. Thesystem according to the invention allows not only to carry outoperations directly connected to the supply of the service for which thesystem has been conceived, but also to send to the electricity meter andreceive from the same other types of information (“information provider”service). The electricity meter can display such information on its ownvisual display unit, or else transfer it onto other devices connected tothe electric line of the user, downstream of the electricity meter, oreven draw it therefrom; such devices are directly interfaced with theelectricity meter via PLC, or else through a bridge-device acting as anintermediate bridge and communicating directly with the electricitymeter via PLC. This gives the possibility to other subjects to use thesystem according to the invention as a remote control system allowing toconnect oneself to ones own devices at the user's site.

16. Management of a calendar clock. Having allocated to the meter thecalculation of consumptions as a function of the scale of charges, saidmeter requires a precise time reference (±30 sec/month); this isobtained by means of local electronic circuitry (RealTimeClock), thestate of which may be remotely verified and synchronised (throughexternal controls, via PLC or.optical gate ZVEI) and corrected, if needbe, in case of excessive variations.

17. Set of displayable data. On the local display of the meter (forexample of the 16×1 alphanumeric+icons type), a whole series of data maybe programmed. The presence of electronic components allows to provideadditional functions such as locally displaying to the user consumptionsand costs data, generic messages or messages providing information aboutthe service, or indicating the functional state of said meter to theservice staff (diagnostics).

18. Opening the power circuit. A modular element equipped with asuitable releasing element apt to be opened by remote control isintegrated into the meter. A single box hosts both the electroniccomponents apt to perform the meter functions described so far, and theelectromechanical components apt to open/close the electrical powerline. This way, the electromechanical components, besides operatingautonomously at the highest power, may also be directed on request ofthe central unit or in the presence of local conditions detected by theelectronic part (e.g. when the contract expires).

19. Quick installation of the meter. Having to replace a high number ofdevices at users' locations in a short time, the invention provides ameter group in two parts, namely a wedge as a base and a controlling andmanaging body, the two parts being connectable through connecting pliersand a bayonet joint.

20. Local interconnectability with external devices. The PLCcommunication system requires the availability of complex hardware andsoftware means. In order to guarantee both the accessibility of the datacontained in the concentrators and meters even by simple devices (e.g.handheld PCs) available to a user, and the availability of a secondcommunication line substituting the network in case the latter isinterrupted; an optical ZVEI gate is also associated to the meter. Saidgate only requires the external device to have a simple RS-232 serialgate (available in almost every PC).

21. Safety/protection of the PLC communication. The data transferredfrom the concentrator to the meters or from the latter to the centralserver have different privacy degrees. For those not considered highlyreserved, the protection mechanisms implemented by the functionsmanaging the PLC communication protocol, apt to guarantee the deliveryof the messages, is sufficient. For critical data, an additionalmechanism has been added—e.g. based on an authentication key—at thelevel of message interpreting and managing procedure, apt to guaranteethe non-modifiability and/or readability of said messages by thirdparties outside the service.

22. Automatic recognition of the installation of the meter. Thisfunction must be present for two reasons: one is technical, related tothe PLC communication mechanisms, the other is fiscal, in order todetect potential fraud by users.

23. Distant meters reachability. The PLC communication method uses aphysical support (electric line) that does not guarantee homogeneousconduction of the signal in every point of the network, for which reasonmeters may not be reachable by the concentrator. Therefore, theconcentrator may require one or more meters (which are able “see” thenon-reachable meter) to act as bridges, forwarding the message-to thenon-reachable meter. It is indeed a repetition mechanism, which allowsto solve the problem of reachability via network.

24. Automatic recognition of the repetition path. When informed of thepresence of a new meter, the concentrator checks its reachability. If itis not reachable, it tries to detect one or more different meters thatcan “see” the non-directly reachable meter. These meters are detected,the detecting parameters stored, and then subsequently used as anintermediate bridge.

25. Data maintenance in voltage drop conditions. The substitution of themechanical devices recording the consumption (numbered knob) withelectronic components (volatile memories) would imply the loss of theconsumption data if the power from the providing company wereinterrupted. In order to avoid this, a non-volatile memory, preferably aferro electric RAM (FRAM), has been used in the system, apt to guaranteethe maintenance of the data throughout the useful life of theelectricity meter (15 years).

26. Downloading the managing programmes. In order to guarantee thedeveloping and/or corrective maintenance of the functions performed bythe programs installed in the system devices, it is possible to modifysaid programs without interrupting the fundamental activities of saiddevices and without having to go where they are; the activity isperformed using the PLC communication mechanisms used by the controlcentre to manage the devices.

27. Detection of the line switch opening. When one of the output linesfrom the power supply cabin—where the concentrator is—is out of orderdue to the opening of the line protection switch, the concentrator, onthe basis of the failure to communicate with all the meters supplied bythat line, indicates to the central server an out-of-service line alarmcondition.

It is however understood that this list should not be intended aslimiting the scope of the invention. This description intends tohighlight by way of examples how the main functions are distributedbetween the three components (meters, concentrators and central unit) ofthe system according to the invention, considered the functionalabilities of these three components, as better specified hereinafter andin the claims.

In other words, in order to achieve the basic idea of the presentinvention, synthetically indicated as “intelligence allocation”, it ispreferable that:

a) the meters be at least allocated at least one of the functionsindicated at numbers 1), 5), 12) and 25); but also, preferably, thefunctions indicated at numbers 2), 3), 4), 6), 7) 12), 13), 16), 17) 18,19), 20) and 25) are performed in the meters;

b) the meters be able to manage, together with the concentrators and theserver, also at least one of the functions indicated at numbers 9), 14),15), 21), 22), 23) and 26);

c) the concentrators be at least allocated at least one of the functionsindicated at numbers 11) and 14), as well as those of PLC network masterand TLC network node, but also, preferably, the functions indicated atnumbers 20) and 24) are performed in concentrators;

d) the central server be at least allocated one or more of the functionsindicated at numbers 8), 10), 17) and 26), but the function indicated atnumbers 9) and 21) is also preferably performed in the central server,as well as the function, of course, of TLC network master, and otherpotential invoicing and managing functions (not concerning this patentapplication).

In other words, the intelligence of the system is distributed betweenthe central unit, concentrators and meters so that each of these threeelements of the system has its own processing ability, although limitedas regards the meters, but sufficient in order to relevantly reduce therequirements of data transmission through bi-directional transmission;these requirements being limited, on the one hand, by the reduction ofthe quantity of transmitted data or, on the other hand, by the delay oftheir transmission to times when the transmission lines are less busy.

It is however understood that the invention should not be intended aslimited to the particular arrangement illustrated above, which onlyrepresents an exemplary embodiment thereof, but that also differentalternatives are possible, all within the grasp of an expert in the art,without thereby departing from the protective scope thereof, as definedby the following claims.

1. System for the remote acquisition of data and for the remote controlof the targets of users spread over a vast territory, of the typecomprising electricity meters, equipped with means to measure theelectric energy consumptions and associated to each user, intermediatestations or concentrators, to each of which a set of meters is connectedby first means for the bi-directional transmission of data, saidconcentrators being in turn all connected to a central control andsupervision unit through second means for the bi-directionaltransmission of data, wherein the intelligence of the system isdistributed between the central unit, the concentrators and theelectricity meters; a set of a limited number of electricity meters isconnected downstream of each concentrator, each meter incorporating, inaddition to said means to measure the electric energy consumptions:means to transduce the measured values into measuring data meant to beprocessed; at least a first processor to process said measuring data; atleast a first data memory and a first programme memory, as well as firstmeans for the bi-directional transmission towards the associatedconcentrator; the output of said first processor being connected to saidfirst data memory and/or to said first bi-directional transmissionmeans, so as to at least temporarily store and/or respectively transmitthe data which have already undergone a first processing; a plurality ofconcentrators is connected downstream of the central unit, eachconcentrator incorporating: at least a second programme memory, at leasta second microprocessor for further processing said data processed bythe meters, at least a second data memory to store the data issued bysaid meters and/or by said second microprocessor, as well as secondmeans for the bi-directional transmission towards the central server,the output of said second processor being connected to said second datamemory and/or to said second bi-directional transmission means, so as toat least temporarily store and/or respectively transmit said furtherprocessed data.
 2. System for the remote acquisition of data and for theremote control of the distributed targets of users, as in claim 1,wherein said first processor incorporated in each electricity meterperforms at least the following functions: acquisition of the electricenergy consumptions, distribution of the electric energy consumptionsinto different scales of charges, estimate of the tampering attempts andcontrol of an antifraud device, and transfer and maintenance of thestored data at least during the voltage drop.
 3. System as in claim 2,wherein the function of distributing the electric energy consumptionsinto different scales of charges is programmed on the basis of timeprofiles and/or power thresholds.
 4. System as in claim 2, wherein saidfirst processor also performs the function of acquiring and recordingthe profile of the electric energy consumptions of the user (chargingcurve).
 5. System as in claim 4, wherein the function of acquiring andrecording the profile of the electric energy consumptions is performedwith a programmable integration period (from 1 min. to 1 hour). 6.System as in claim 2, wherein said first processor also performs thefunction of measuring and recording the average and peak power (activeand reactive).
 7. System as in claim 2, wherein said first processoralso performs the function of managing two separate invoicing periods atvariable intervals (present and previous).
 8. System as in claim 2,wherein said first processor also performs the function of managing twodistinct electric energy supply contracts in the power range up to 35 kw(present and future).
 9. System as in claim 2, wherein said firstprocessor also performs the function of measuring and recording thequality parameters of the service, such as interruptions and deviationsof the voltage from the nominal value indicated in the electric energysupply contract.
 10. System as in claim 2, wherein said first processoralso performs the function of managing, with the required precision (±30sec./month), a calendar clock apt to be remotely synchronised. 11 .System as in claim 2, wherein said first processor performs also thefunction of opening the power circuit integrated in the electricitymeter.
 12. System as in claim 11, wherein said first processor adopts,for the function of opening the power circuit, a modular element (DINstandard) equipped with a suitable releasing element apt to be opened byremote control.
 13. System as in claim 1, wherein said first data memoryis preset so as to perform the function of maintaining the stored data,also during voltage drop, throughout the useful life of the electricitymeter (15 years).
 14. System as in claim 2, wherein said first processoralso performs the function of displaying data on the electric energyconsumption and/or the operation of the electricity meter.
 15. Systemfor the remote acquisition of data and for the remote control of thedistributed targets of users, as in claim 1, wherein said secondprocessor of each concentrator performs the double function of master ofthe PLC (power line carrier) network, for what concerns thecommunications on the power supply line between the actual concentratorand the electricity meters and, respectively, of a node of the TLCnetwork, for what concerns the communications on the telephone linebetween the concentrator and the central server.
 16. System for theremote acquisition of data and for the remote control of the distributedtargets of users, as in claim 1, wherein said second processor of eachconcentrator performs at least the following additional functions:execution of an energy balance for what concerns the single power supplysubstation into which the concentrator is installed; constant monitoringof the working conditions of each electricity meter connected theretoand issue of an alarm signal in case the self-diagnostics of the metershould indicate a malfunction.
 17. System as in claim 15, wherein saidsecond processor of each concentrator performs, in association with saidenergy balance, a function of detecting any unauthorized withdrawals.18. System as in claim 15, wherein said second processor of eachconcentrator also performs a function of automatic identification of therepeating path.
 19. System for the remote acquisition of data and forthe remote control of the distributed targets of users, as in claim 1,wherein the unit of the central server performs at least the followingfunctions: automatic management of the operations of disconnection,reconnection, discontinuances, suspensions for delayed payments andcontract variations; selective cut-off of the power supply due torequirements of the electric system (black-out risk or temporaryoverloads); and downloading of the operating programs.
 20. System as inclaim 19, wherein the unit of the central server also performs anoperative function in conditions of prepayment.
 21. System as in claim19, wherein the central server unit also performs a function of safetyand/or protection of the PLC communication with authentication key. 22.System as in claim 19, wherein the central server unit also performs afunction of displaying the operating data of the server and/or of thenetwork.
 23. System as in claim 1, wherein the unit of the centralserver also performs—by means of the concentrators and in cooperationwith the electricity meters, on the communication network between thesethree units—a function of bidirectional transmission of informationmeant for the automation of services implemented by subjects other thanthe owner of the networks.